- Date
- July 20, 2011, 10:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Llano, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3656XAero Commander 100
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110720014749A
- Case key
- 81217
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The certified flight instructor and his student were practicing takeoffs and landings for approximately an hour. After taking a break, they continued the practice session. The pilot said that the airplane was configured properly for the landing; however, he failed to attain the proper touchdown point, and the airplane impacted a tire used to mark the approach end of the runway. The airplane bounced, yawed right, exited the runway, and collided with nearby trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and tail section. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane and said he should have selected a touchdown point further down the runway which would have allowed more room for error.
Factual narrative
The private rated pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) had practiced take-off and landings for approximately an hour. After a break, the take-off and landing practice resumed. The private pilot reported that as they approached the runway for a landing, the airplane was properly trimmed for the approach; however, the airplane touched down before they expected it to. The airplane impacted a tire used to mark the end of the runway; the airplane then bounced and yawed right. The private pilot and CFI were unable to regain control of the airplane before it exited the runway and collided with nearby trees. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical anomalies with the airplane and said he should have selected a touchdown point further down the runway which would have allowed more room for error. Examination of the airplane revealed the airplane sustained substantial damage to fuselage, wings, and tail section during the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3656X
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 100
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 309
- Airframe hours
- 714
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 18, 2010
- Departed
- AQO · LLano, TX
- Destination
- AQO · LLano, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- AQO · Llano Municipal Airport, runway 13, 3,240 × 150 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 260 total · 9 in this make and model
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 7, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,680 total · 9 in this make and model · 2,360 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KAQO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 518 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.